Agreement ends review of Ohio school plan critic

LEBANON -- A southwest Ohio school superintendent and prosecutor have reached an agreement ending an investigation into the school official's possible misuse of public resources for political campaigning in opposition to the governor.

Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell said Thursday the probe was closed, after Franklin City Schools Superintendent Arnol Elam agreed to pay the costs of his letter to parents and a new one that says he made some inappropriate statements.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports Elam will pay $539 out of pocket.

"I regret it took a political spin," Elam said.

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Elam wrote parents last week urging them to join "an active campaign" to make sure Gov. John Kasich and legislators supporting him aren't re-elected. Elam is among school officials in some of the state's poorer districts upset about the Republican governor's new school-funding plan, although Kasich has said would help the districts that need it most.

Elam's letter noted that some neighboring wealthier districts gained funds under Kasich's proposal, while Franklin City's state base-funding is flat.

"Governor John Kasich was untruthful ... and in doing so, finally clarified that kids in poor districts don't count," Elam wrote last week.

Fornshell's decision to investigate Elam brought cries of political intimidation from Ohio Democratic Party officials, noting that Fornshell is the county's former GOP chairman.

Fornshell said Thursday that the probe had nothing to do with politics and that the governor or Republican Party weren't involved.

"I also reject the suggestion that our office, when presented with clear-cut evidence that a law has been violated, should look the other way simply because there may be negative publicity or political fallout as a result of a preliminary investigation," Fornshell said.

School board member Lori Raleigh defended Elam, saying he was subjected to "a witch hunt" for speaking out for impoverished children.